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March 29, 2012

Swap Etiquette (and other helpful hints)

Swap Help

So if you are anything like me (and I hope you are since you are following this blog) you are addicted to that cute fluffiness that we put on our baby's bums. Yes...we can admit it. We are ADDICTED to cloth diapering. Yet we may not all be able to afford (or want to pay) full price.

Swap groups are a great place to turn to if you are starting up using cloth, looking to try out a different brand or just want to get a good deal. They are also great if you want to sell as well. BUT a lot of people don't know how to swap or just not sure where to start.

I decided to write my blog post about swap groups to not only help you buy, but to help sell as well. There isn't much that goes into selling/buying except honesty, details and PICTURES.

Here are some tips for selling!

First and foremost: If you aren't being honest about your diapers then why would anyone else be? Make sure you tell the truth! We teach our kids that everyday so we shouldn't we be any different.

Where to start:Find a swap groupIf you clicked that link-you have already started! This is ourCloth Diaper Addiction Swap GroupJust ask to join and an admin will let you in.There is also a DOC in the group with other swap groups that you can check out.

If you already have diapers in mind that you want to sell, start taking pictures. You'll want pictures of the front, back, inside and any stains, holes or any other flaw that your diaper may have. What I have done is create a folder for all of my for sale diapers on my desktop. That way I can always reference back to them.

Next:Read the RULES for any group that you join. Each group has generally the same rules but some are different and you don't want to get kicked out of a group for breaking rules. Our swap rules are pretty specific as to what you are allowed to sell (diapers, and diaper related items) so read carefully!After that you'll want to browse and see what others have for sale BUT WAIT! You are trying to sell so STAY FOCUSED!!

You should have an idea in your head for what you want to sell your diapers for. Here are some general guidelines for pricing your diapers:You'll want to be specific in your description of your diapers so make sure to note anything that you would want to know if you were buying.Here is a link to learn all the abbreviations too. I list the basic ones below.

NIP(New in Package)This really depends on the brand but generally you can ask retail but not more than that. And that would include shipping(more later) and fees(more later).

JP or PREPPED(Just prepped but never on the bum)So you bought a diaper, prepped it and then decided it wasn't going to work out. It is no longer NIP so you can't ask retail but you can generally ask 80% to 90% as long as you are completely honest and that the diaper never touched a booty. That includes shipping and fees.

EUC(Excellent Used Condition)Key word USED. This means your diaper was used but is still in pristine condition-no stains, stinks, shot elastic, holes, spots, smears, dots, or any other flaws that someone could come up with. Generally you can ask 70% to 80% of retail price. Again a lot depends on brand and that would include shipping and fees. And in my honest opinion you can't have an EEEEEEUC diaper or even an EEUC diaper. Used is used and please only use one E! Otherwise it would be NIP or JP.

VGUC(Very Good Used Condition)-diaper is used and may have some wear but overall is in good shape for another mama to use on her baby. Generally asking price is 60%-70% depending on how much wear and if there is any minor flaws. Again depends on brand, and would include shipping and fees.

GUC-(Good Used Condition)-diaper is well loved, has minor flaws, relaxed elastic, pilling, velcro is curling, or the start of a tiny hole. Make sure to include any and all of that in your description. Generally asking price would be 30%-60% depending on amount of wear and tear. You guessed it: depends on brand, and would include shipping and fees.

FUC (Fair Used Condition) or Play Condition-diaper has several flaws including many of the above listed or has any staining. Pricing should generally be FFS(free for shipping) to 30% including shipping and fees.

If any of your diapers have stains, it will automatically fall into the GUC or FUC categories so make sure you sun sun sun those babies so you can get more money for them.

If you aren't sure how/what to price your diapers-shoot me an email at jen@clothdiaperaddiction.com and I will help you out as best as I can!

Once you have a price, you'll want to start uploading your pictures onto the group. If you have a lot of pictures, you will want to create an album. If you just have one, post to the wall but make sure that is within the group guidelines. (For CDAS it is ok to post to the wall)

Add all of your information about the diaper:Brand, style(AIO, pocket, AI2 etc), size or OS, color and price. You'll also want to include any flaws there might be or if you had any issues with stinks/yeast. Be honest.There is a DOC for feedback so make sure you are truthful so as to not get on the naughty list.

Once you are done entering all of your info, just hit POST and people can shop away and hopefully you will be selling soon! Make sure you pay attention to comments and PM's(personal messages). You'll want to check times they are sent/posted so you can be fair and sell to the first person.

If someone contacts you and says they want it but then you don't hear back from them right away, we suggest waiting 48 hours after you email them back before you move to the next interested person. Make sure you email them and tell them you are moving to the next mama from lack of response. This is to keep it fair. Not everyone can be on facebook every day. :)

PAYPAL/FEES/SHIPPING

The easiest and most common form of payment is used through paypal. If you don't have one set up, I suggest you do it! Not all mamas will accept checks/money orders. With paypal, there is a small fee for selling. Meaning...when you sell something and someone pays you, you will get a small fee taken out of the total. It is minimal. If you purchase something, you will not be charged a fee.Once you have been paid, you can print a shipping label right through paypal. You will be charged right through your account and will automatically be given a DC#(delivery confirmation number). We have more details about this on the swap group. Again if you have questions, please email me!You can also ship through the post office, but I will be honest with you and let you know that you will be paying probably twice as much. (Make sure you always add a DC# if you do ship through the P.O. this is to track the package and cover your own booty if it goes missing)

Make sure you ship as soon as possible and let the mama know when you will be shipping.Also A WISE TIP!!!----DO NOT SHIP UNTIL YOU HAVE BEEN PAID!

Now onto BUYING!!!

Know in your head what brands you like or want to find. Know what you want to spend and the condition of the diaper that you are willing to pay that amount for.

You can do a search on the group to find those specific items, you can also click through all of the pictures to see if any are listed.

I suggest browsing as much as possible to get an idea of what prices certain diapers are going for, so you know you are not getting a bad deal. (This is also good for when you are pricing your own diapers)I also suggest making an offer on anything that you find that you like. It can't hurt to ask and if you are willing to pay the asking price then you could get yourself a better deal.

Best way to go about getting a diaper is to comment under the picture and then send the mama an email. Ask if the diaper is still available and ask for additional pictures. Once you established communication, you can make an offer. When it is confirmed that you are going to purchase the diaper, make sure you pay within 12-24 hours. Then get a DC# from the mama so you can track the diaper and get an approximate date that it should be in your mailbox!

SOME THINGS TO ASK about a diaper:brand, style, color, condition, does it have stains, stinks, any flaws and sometimes the age of the diaper and how often it was used. You may think of some other things you'll want to ask as well.Check to make sure it comes with an insert if it is a pocket diaper and if it comes with the necessary pieces for an AI2.

A lot of sellers will lower their price if you buy more than one diaper from them.Check out the DOC with positive feedback and negative feedback. You will get an idea of who is good or bad to purchase from. On out swap group, we try to keep everyone posted on scammers so make sure to check that weekly. Also add to it if you had a bad experience.

I hope this helps you with your swap endeavors. If you have any questions or need some additional tips, please email me at jen@clothdiaperaddiction.com

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Thanks for visiting Cloth Diaper Addiction! If you have a product you would like us to review we would love to work with you! We are open to not only cloth diapers but other great parenting and children related products as well. Please contact me at: katherinejeanpost{at}gmail{dot}com